Looking forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday at Coalition. Below is the meeting agenda and important updates on SNAP interviews, SSA access barriers, and utility help in MA.
Tuesday, March 25 Coalition meeting: Agenda and Zoom link
Our next Coalition meeting is on Tuesday. Please join us! Here is the Zoom link. The AGENDA will include:
- Federal updates
- Status of budget reconciliation & taking action in your communities
- Local media strategies to increase awareness of risks to SNAP and note FRAC’s SNAP Challenge (another great tool for social media) - sign up here!
- State budget and legislative updates
- FY25 supplemental budget & FY26 budget advocacy
- Priority bills
- DTA updates
- Details on brief (24 or so, or less, hours) EBT outage in late April when DTA moves to a new EBT vendor - preparing clients
- ABAWD 3-month time limit update (Save the date - MLRI training on this, April 10 from 2-3 PM. Look out for registration info soon!)
- Recertification interviews & reaching DTA for the interview and for other issues
- Other issues, updates from community orgs, announcements.
Save The Date: Senator Markey “Office Hours” Call re Protecting SNAP/Food Security Issues, March 26th from 5-6 PM. We will let you know as soon as details and a registration link are available.
MA Ag Commissioner urges USDA to restore funds to MA Farmers
In yet another stunning attack on food security and local food producers, the Trump Admin has held back federally authorized funding to local farms including $3.1 million in funding for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, which provides funds for processing, manufacturing, storing, and distribution of local agricultural products. The state was also supposed to receive $6.4 million for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and $12 million for the Local Food for Schools program. See today’s CommonWealth news story HERE.
Ongoing SNAP Interview/DTA Access issues
We continue to hear from community partners, SNAP recipients who reach out to MLRI, and members of the MA Legislature that their constituents cannot reach a DTA worker for their application and renewal interviews or to discuss other case issues. Meanwhile the SNAP caseload, especially for families with children, continues to decline while the DTA Assistance Line is jammed and 1 in 2 calls trying to reach a worker are dropped. At the same time, food prices are going up and the MA Food Banks report increased demand on their services.
ACTION STEPS:
- Strategies to fix individual cases: 1. Here’s MLRI’s Advocacy Tips on strategies to reach a DTA worker. 2. Here’s MLRI’s Tool Kit for SNAP cases denied due to lack of an interview, and how to help clients get back/retroactive SNAP benefits.
- Strategies to help DTA get more resources: Failure to approve eligible households for SNAP risks losing federal benefits for families, grocers, and farmers and adds to growing frustration with government services. Please 1) contact your local Rep and Senator and urge them to provide worker and IT resources for DTA in the FY26 budget and 2) ask them to co-sponsor H.196 S.167: An Act to Maximize Participation in SNAP and Improve Customer Service, Fact sheet HERE.
Social Security Access Barriers
The Mass Senior Action Council (MSAC) wants to hear from Social Security applicants and recipients if they are having problems reaching the Social Security Administration (SSA). See infographic below. Like everyone else, they are worried about the Trump Administration’s dismantling of federal agencies including worker layoffs/firings at key government agencies. Client information will help MSAC and our MA Congressional Delegation protect SSA.
Please have Social Security recipients share their experiences. By email Carolyn@masenioraction.org or call Mass Senior Action Council by phone: 617-284-1275.
Utility Help in Massachusetts:
Utility costs continue to soar. Our partners at the National Consumer Law Center, NCLC, have created this one page fact sheet on utility help in the state - including utility discounts, emergency help, fuel assistance and more. Please share this FAQ widely with your clients.
